


take your time cause you're up against space

by emms14



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-22
Updated: 2012-02-11
Packaged: 2017-10-29 22:33:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/324896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emms14/pseuds/emms14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike Ross has never been bothered by hospitals.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

Mike Ross has never been bothered by hospitals.

 

Even when they smell like hospital, and look like hospital, Mike has never had that uncomfortable feeling that most people associate with hospitals. To Mike, hospitals are comfortable. But then again, all the time he spends in hospitals is usually away from admissions and the emergency department.

 

Mike has been working at St.Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center for two months now. He’s a janitor.

 

It’s certainly not the most glamorous of jobs, but between this and his other two jobs, the bills for his apartment and his grandmother’s retirement home get paid. At night, Mike is a busy boy at a restaurant near his tiny apartment, and his weekends are spent working in retail. The hospital is actually his favorite job.

 

It’s usually calm, and everyone is friendly. Mike is on a first name basis with all the security guards, and he’s even friendlier with the nurses. Administration prefers his simple and efficient work ethic to that of the other janitors and even the doctors recognize his presence.

 

Mike had only been working at the hospital for a week when he decided that the ninth floor was his favorite. It was the quietest of all floors and possibly the most depressing, but something about the “Long Term Care Unit” seemed to calm Mike.

 

He didn’t mind the tedious tasks of mopping floors and cleaning bathrooms on the ninth floor when it gave him so much room to think.

 

Now when he finally makes his way up to the ninth floor, he takes the time to visit each patient and nurse on the floor.

 

“Hi Lucy. Where’s Maria today?” Mike smiles at the nurse, looking around for the one who usually with her on Tuesdays.

 

“She had to take the day off. The twins are sick.”

 

“I hope it’s nothing serious,” and Mike really does mean it. He knows Lucy well and has met her twins several times before.

 

“Oh don’t worry Mike, it’s only a nasty cold!” Lucy smiles at him reassuringly, but looks a little preoccupied with a file so Mike lets her back to work.

 

Mike mops, cleans and restacks the supply closet, humming all the while. When he finishes, he stops in to see each patient, leaving room2453 for last.

 

After playing blocks with Ellie and Kate, discussing politics with the elderly Mr. Cady, and charming grumpy Mrs. Santos, Mike finally gets to 2453.

 

Harvey Specter has been in room 2453 for the last three and a half months. He’s young, probably in his mid-thirties if Mike had to guess, wealthy, and drop-dead gorgeous. He listens when Mike talks, doesn’t mind when he hums while he works, and isn’t at all upset that Mike leaves him for last.

 

He’s also in a coma.

 

Harvey is Mike’s favorite. He tries to play it off like he isn’t, but all the nurses know why he leaves Harvey for last. It’s because the one time he tried to visit Harvey before his work was done for the day, he clocked out 2 hours late.

 

Mike tells Harvey almost everything. He knows it’s ridiculous, he’s a grown man, he should know better than to talk to someone who can’t hear him. But it’s nice to be able to talk without censoring himself even if he doesn’t get any responses.

 

He tells Harvey about his jobs and how he wishes he had the money and time to actually go to law school. Mike tells Harvey about how he isn’t sure he should keep depending on Trevor. And when Mike’s grandmother falls in her retirement home—thankfully she doesn’t break anything—Harvey is the only one to hear about how absolutely concerned Mike is about her health.

 

Sometimes he just sits with Harvey and reads aloud. Sometimes he doesn’t even speak, he just stands at the window and looks out at the city skyline.

 

When his finally makes his way to Harvey’s room today though, Mike opens the door and is immediately surprised.

 

There’s four people already in the room. Three are standing around the bed and one is in it. This alone is enough to surprise Mike. Harvey has never had visitors before.

 

All four people turn to look at Mike and he feels himself redden.

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I was just—“ And then something registers in Mike’s brain. All _four_ people looked at him, “Oh my god, you’re awake!”

 

Harvey looks even more attractive awake than he did in a coma. He looks a little healthier and certainly more life-like. As of right now though, he looks confused.

 

“Do I know you?” Harvey’s forehead bunches up in lines when he’s confused and Mike feels like an idiot.

 

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt…” Mike turns to leave so as not to prolong his own embarrassment.

 

“Wait a minute,” Harvey calls after him before Mike has the chance to escape and Mike turns back around, “are you sure we don’t know each other? I think I know your voice…”

 

Mike shakes his head and tries not to sound upset, “I’m just the janitor. We’ve never met.”

 

And then Mike’s sitting on the floor of the men’s room, trying to remember how to function.

 

In the two months he’s been working here, Mike has visited Harvey at the end of every shift. He’s told the man everything of importance in his life. Despite every conversation being one-sided, Mike has formed an attachment to Harvey. He feels connected to him.

 

As Mike squeezes his eyes shut and breathes through his nose on the cold tile floor, he tries to reconcile the man who could know everything about him with the man sitting in a bed nearby who has never met him.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time Mike Ross officially meets Harvey Specter, it’s two days after the older man has woken up from his coma.

The first time Mike Ross officially meets Harvey Specter, it’s two days after the older man has woken up from his coma. Mike had been lucky enough to find Harvey asleep when he’d come in to collect the garbage on Wednesday. He’d been so thankful to find Harvey asleep on Wednesday that he’d pressed his back against the door and took a deep breath.

 

Maybe he could do this. Maybe he could just avoid Harvey and pretend that this man who nothing about him also meant nothing to him. Maybe he could just creep in and out of room 2453 every day without notice. Who pays attention to the janitor?

 

But when Mike slips in room 2453 on Thursday, Harvey is sitting up in bed, awake and reading a paper.

 

Maybe he can’t do this.

 

“Did you know that the assistant district attorney is going to…”Harvey trails off when he sees Mike staring at him. Clearly he wasn’t expecting the janitor.

 

“I’m sorry, I should’ve knocked. I just need to take out your trash.” He actually needs to do more cleaning than that but he wants to make this as quick and painless as possible.

 

“Mike right?” Harvey smiles at him and Mike wants to melt. Melting is unacceptable behavior for a grown man though, so he collects himself before nodding.

 

“Yes, I’m Mike but…we don’t…”

 

“You said the other day that we don’t know each other. But why do I feel like I know you then?” Harvey looks frustrated and Mike thinks that Harvey is so much more than anything Mike could have ever imagined.

 

“We never—“ Harvey cuts him off early and looks exasperated.

 

“Yes, yes, I know that we’ve never met. But why do I _know_ your voice?”

 

Mike doesn’t know why he doesn’t tell him. How do you explain to someone that the only reason they recognize you voice is because you spent almost every afternoon spilling all your secrets to their unconscious body?

 

So he doesn’t explain, “I don’t know.”

 

“Well in that case,” He holds his hand and Mike takes a moment to realize that he means to shake Mike’s hand.

 

They shake hand and exchange names and Mike can only wish that this was the same Harvey who _knew_ him. Who listened and listened and even if he was just there, it always felt like he was _there_.

 

But then the moment is over and Mike goes back to collecting the garbage. He doesn’t even notice that he’s humming to himself until Harvey points it out.

 

“Do you always hum while you work?” Harvey looks inquisitive and Mike isn’t sure what to make of that.

 

“I don’t know. I guess so, I never really noticed.”

 

Harvey leaves it at that and Mike is immensely thankful.

 

Mike is finished in Harvey’s room as quickly as possible and escapes before Harvey can attempt to make more small talk.

 

Mike stops to talk to Maria and Lucy before heading out and instead stumbles upon them gossiping about Harvey.

 

“Oh hey Mike, I guess you just be glad to see that your room 2453 is awake.” Maria is smiling playfully at him. She’s always been the more gossipy of the two nurses usually working during Mike’s shift.

 

“He’s not my room.”

 

“Mike, honey you used to spend hours in there after your shift every day.” It’s Lucy this time and he really doesn’t need them ganging up on him right now.

 

“Well he’s awake, and…I don’t know him.” Mike flounders and feels utterly ridiculous.

 

“So get to know him! He’s awake now, there’s no reason not to get to know him!”

 

“I heard he’s a lawyer…” Maria practically whispers it conspiratorially and it’s just _insane_.

 

“And gorgeous. Don’t forget gorgeous!”

 

“If you two think he’s so great, than why don’t you go after him?” Mike really wishes this conversation would just _end_ already. Normally he loves catching up with the two nurses, but this is one topic that is a little too fresh to be discussed.

 

“Oh no, no,” both women throw their hands up in protest, “as much as I’m sure we’d both love to get our hands on him, you saw him first. It’s only fair.”

 

Somehow, Mike manages to muddle through the rest of the conversation before he’s out of the hospital and on the street, finding that even in the bustle of Manhattan’s subways, he can breathe a little easier.

 

\---

 

It’s Mike’s grandmother who first explains things to him.  They’re sitting across from each other, playing cards in her retirement home when she first brings it up.

 

“It’s called loss you know.” Mike looks up from his cards in surprise.

 

“What?”

 

“I’m sure it’s hard to understand and even harder to go through, but it’s times you at least realized what it is.”

 

“What are you talking about, Gram?” There are times like this when Mike feels more like a little kid than ever before.

 

“This business with the man from the hospital,” Gram gives him a stern look so he stops trying to avoid it.

 

“Sure, okay, that man from the hospital is awake. But I’m not grieving. How could I have lost someone I never knew.”

 

Mike thinks that if he repeats it enough times, maybe his brain will start to finally understand it. _I don’t know Harvey. Harvey doesn’t know me._

 

Gram raises her eyebrows. It was only a matter of time before he told Gram everything.

 

“You had someone in your life,” Mike goes to protest but Gram’s hand is up to stop him before he can even start, “regardless of the situation, you had someone to talk to, someone you thought you knew. Someone that was important to you. Now they’re gone. Of course you’re grieving.”

 

 _I don’t know Harvey. Harvey doesn’t know me._

 

Mike can’t really argue with that. So he doesn’t.

 

So the next time Mike goes into work at the hospital, he tries a little harder. Tries to be nicer to Lucy and Maria. He spends more time playing with Kate and Ellie and more time with Mr. Cady and Mrs. Santos. Mike even manages to smile at Harvey when he cleans his room.

 

At least it’s progress.

 

 _I don’t know Harvey. Harvey doesn’t know me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea why this chapter came out so angsty but I didn’t want this to just be “Harvey wakes up from coma and he falls madly in love with Mike. THE END.” That’s not how life happens so that’s not how I’m going to write it. So sorry if anyone is unhappy with the direction this is going in. I don’t seem to have much control of it anymore. I’m just letting it go where it goes…


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey Specter has always hated hospitals.

Harvey Specter has always hated hospitals. Ever since he was young, he’s always taken as many steps as possible to avoid their cluttered hallways, bleach smells and nurses who seem to lack concern for their patients.

 

He hasn’t spent more than an hour in hospital since he was nine and broke his arm. Until now.

 

Harvey knows what a coma is. He knows what an MVA stands for. He knows the likelihood of sustaining brain damage during one and he knows what legal tactics to use in order to receive sufficient compensation for an afflicted party. What he can’t understand, is how these things apply to him.

 

He understands just fine when a nurse with a kind voice explains the accident to him. He understands when Donna and his brother tell him _three and a half months_. His brain interprets the words thrown at him into meanings. He gets it. He really does.

 

But him? Harvey Specter in a coma for over three months? _Bullshit._

 

Things like this don’t happen to people like him. How could he have missed so much time? But he did and it stares him in the face every time he reads the paper.

 

He learns from Jessica that when he’s ready, he still has a job. And then she proceeds to strictly explain that ‘when he is ready’ is not when he decides, but when the _doctors_ decide. But Harvey doesn’t argue with her because he’s too busy trying to figure out the quickest way possible out of the hospital. Even if he’s still a little disbelieving about his coma, he wants out. Now.

 

When Mike Ross interrupts his reading to collect the garbage, things only get more complicated for Harvey. The younger man is rather attractive for a janitor, and Harvey still can’t figure out what they’re connection is.

 

When he asks Mike, the man lies. And poorly at that. But that only interests Harvey more. Donna and his brother don’t know Mike and neither do any of the several people that visit his in the coming week.

 

So he knows a janitor that he can’t remember and no one else has ever seen?

 

But he’s Harvey Specter dammit and even if he’s still stuck in a hospital, he isn’t just going to do nothing. When Mike hums while working, Harvey wants to jump out of his bed and point at the man. ‘ _You! What is that humming nonsense? Where have I heard that before?’_

 

But he doesn’t. Instead, he quietly asks Donna for anything she can find on a “Mike Ross” who works as a janitor at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt. She quirks her eyebrows at him and Harvey is sure that if he wasn’t still in a hospital bed, she would make some comment about stalking.

 

\---

 

The first time the nurses make Harvey walk is when everything comes together.

 

His whole body is sluggish and even though all his muscles seem to be working, they feel awkward from lack of use. Each leg feels _so_ heavy. His arms hang uncomfortably at his sides and his balance is embarrassingly poor. When he finally finishes his lap around the nurse’s station under Lucy’s watchful eye, he’s exhausted. It hits him like a freight train.

 

He really _was_ in a coma for under three months. He really _is_ lucky to be alive.

 

Harvey is put in physical therapy with an older male doctor who always seems to aggravate him. _‘Yes, I’ve been doing my exercises. Yes, this is difficult. Yes, I’m still exhausted every time you force me to do stupid things.’_

But progress is being made even if Harvey finds it to be far too slow. He longs for his treadmill and his gym. His body may be ready to try stairs, but his brain is ready for a marathon.

 

As someone who has had things his way for most of his life, Harvey is less than pleased.

 

Things get a little better a week later when Harvey has his first real conversation with Mike Ross.

 

It’s short and not particularly meaningful but it’s a step in the right direction. Harvey isn’t sure what direction that is exactly, but when he finally finds it, he intends to act as though that was his plan all along, _thank you very much._

 

They talk about his physical therapy and the weather. It’s a little awkward at first but Mike smiles at Harvey and he feels a blindsided. Harvey doesn’t bring up the humming or Mike’s lie, but smiles when Mike almost drops garbage all over the floor. Mike flushes and fumbles a little and Harvey wonders just how young is considered “too young.”

 

Harvey and Mike talk more and more each day and when Mike sees him making his usual rounds up and down the hallways, leg muscles stronger each day, the younger man stops and jokes with him, smiling all the while. It still seems like Mike comes to Harvey’s room last, and Harvey wonders why that is.

 

Not soon enough, a male doctor with a blank face and steady hands lets Harvey know when he can be released. Donna and Jessica visit soon after the news and Harvey wonders if they traveled together from the office. He hopes that Louis hasn’t touched his office.

 

Jessica throws words at him about no long hours and not overworking himself and Harvey ignores most of it. Donna just watches him and tells him that if he does anything too stupid, she’ll quit. That’s more of a threat than any Jessica could ever offer.

 

 _Finally_. He can be back in his apartment soon, back in his office. Back to pushing Jessica’s limits and driving Louis crazy.

 

And then Harvey’s gathering his belongings from room 2453 and _god_ it’s nice to be back in his own clothes. Ray is on the way to take him back to his apartment when Mike comes in to clean and Harvey has a rare moment of panic.

 

Harvey is leaving the hospital. Mike works at the hospital. And then Harvey does something that he later deems the best and worst decision of his life.

 

“Mike, what do you know about law?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has officially gotten away from me. I don't even know. *shakes head*


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike actually knows quite a lot about law.

Mike actually knows quite a lot about law. He’s taken the LSATs more times than he should ever admit to and for far more people than he could admit to. He has an unhealthy amount of legal information memorized, ready at a moment’s notice.

 

Mike had had dreams of law school once. Of breezing through and eventually settling in a career as an attorney. His dreams had met the harsh reality of heating bills and law school loans before promptly withering into nothingness. It wasn’t that he didn’t love law enough, it was that he didn’t love law enough to force Gram into a state run facility so he could be in debt for the rest of his life.

 

So Mike is very familiar with law. He would even go far enough to say he was comfortable with it.

 

He doesn’t say any of this when Harvey asks him though. He just gapes at the other man, much like a confused fish. As soon as he realizes what he’s doing, he shuts his mouth and tries to figure out what’s going on.

 

“Um, excuse me?”

 

“Rule one, don’t make me repeat myself.” And it’s like Harvey has an authority button for his voice.

 

Very quickly, Mike realizes something. For all that Harvey may know about him and all that his mind thinks Harvey knows about him, he knows virtually nothing about Harvey.

 

“Last time I checked, I wasn’t _your_ janitor?” It’s the best Mike can come up with on short notice and it’s not nearly good enough. Harvey has an eyebrow quirked at him again, and _how can an eyebrow be so attractive?_

 

“In case you can’t tell, I’m offering you a job. I would suggest you shut up and listen carefully unless you want to spend the rest of your life as a janitor.” Mike has no idea where Harvey’s cockiness has come from. It’s a little bit insanely hot.

 

“In case _you_ can’t tell, I already have a job.” Let the record state that Mike Ross is not one to go quietly.

 

“Three actually.”

 

“So are you stalking me, or offering me a job? Because they actually aren’t the same thing…” Mike knows how to banter. Enjoys it actually, but how often do you find someone to banter with in a hospital?

 

“I’m a senior partner at Pearson-Hardman. I’m going to be returning from a four month…” Harvey pauses and Mike has the feeling that he still isn’t comfortable with the vulnerability associated with a coma, “hiatus. I want a competent associate who isn’t a brainless Harvard look-like. Convince me that’s you.”

 

“Weren’t _you_ the one that one who wanted to hire _me_? Why should I have to convince you?”

 

Harvey just gives him this _look_. And then Mike is off, quoting cases, citing civil procedure and explaining why property law is just annoying. It only takes a few minutes for Harvey to be thoroughly convinced. He looks almost impressed. Mike wants to glow.

 

“So when can you start?” And Mike’s world slowly crashes back down.

 

“You do know that I don’t actually have a law degree right?”

 

To his credit, Harvey seems to take this surprise with some grace, “fuck.”

 

“You didn’t know? Why would I be a janitor if I had a law degree? Why would I be working three jobs?”

 

“I was hoping you we’re at least half way through law school.”

 

“Oh.” Because what else can you really say to that.

 

\---

 

A week later, shit hits the fan. Big time.

 

Gloria from the retirement home calls to inform him that due to their current renovations on the dining hall, they’ll be raising their rates. By several thousand.

 

Then he gets a letter informing him that his water bill is late and if he doesn’t pay it by next week, they’ll be shutting off his water.

 

 _Fuck_.

 

Then Trevor calls with a job offer. And Mike really doesn’t have a choice.

 

\---

 

It’s a set up. A fucking set up.

 

Mike is trying to keep his grandmother happy in her retirement with enough money to pay his damn water bill. The last thing he needs is to get arrested. So he gets the hell out of there.

 

There’s a bunch of Harvard clones sitting around waiting to be interviewed and his suit fits in perfectly. Then a pretty redhead is yelling at him about how late he is.

 

“I don’t really care about the interview. I’m just trying to hide from the cops.” It’s probably the stupidest thing he’s ever said. But then the redhead is calling him someone else’s name and leading him from the room where dull men are occupying equally dull suits and _oh, Harvey._

 

He’s not sure what Harvey is doing here or if he even recognizes him, but Mike follows him down a hall into a separate room.

 

Harvey seems surprised to see him, “Mike what’s going—“

 

And then there’s pot all over the floor.

 

“Oh shit.” There’s a few antagonizing moments before Harvey gives him a _look_ and Mike thinks it’s something Harvey does a lot.

 

“Do I even want to know?”

 

Mike runs a hand through his hair, trying not to burst apart at the seams from stress, “No.”

 

Harvey seats himself behind the desk and looks up at Mike expectantly, “This _is_ a job interview isn’t it? Convince me that you’re the person for the job.”

 

And Mike does even better than last time. This time, there are bigger things on the line. After some quizzing from Harvey and smugness from Mike, Harvey nods at him.

 

“I hope you own more suits.” Harvey has combined his classic eyebrow with a smirk this time and _damn_ he looks good outside of the hospital.

 

“So I can have the job? Even though…” Mike trails off, praying that a reminder of his degree-less situation won’t change Harvey’s mind.

 

“Do not fuck it up, kid.” And then Harvey’s up and out of the room with one last comment thrown over his shoulder. “And don’t be late.”

 

Harvey Specter, attorney is _very_ different from the Harvey Specter of room 2453.

 


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first few times it happens, no one notices.

When Mike brings that briefcase to work, Harvey thinks he may have made a mistake. 

It doesn’t happen often, and he won’t admit it to anyone, but he is human. Just because he’d seemed to know Mike in the hospital, doesn’t mean that he should be Harvey’s associate. Brains aren’t enough to make a good attorney. It takes skill and a kind of persistence that he isn’t sure Mike has. It’s not enough to just know things and Mike doesn’t seem to get that.

Mike is used to being the cleverest person around, that much is clear. He’s used to all his friends and family fawning over his intelligence. He isn’t used to competing with people just as smart as him. People who have the experience to know what he’s going to do and can find a way to prevent it before Mike has even had a chance.

Because Mike’s never been presented with a true challenge, he doesn’t know how to handle one. Maybe Harvey should’ve thought more about hiring him. He needs an associate who isn’t going to just give up when things get difficult.

But when Mike shows up the day after they talk in the lobby of the building, Harvey can’t help but smile once he’s alone in his office.

As it turns out, maybe Harvey Specter doesn’t make mistakes after all.

\---

The next few months are full of cases and late nights and trying to keep Mike out of trouble.

Mike is learning, even if he’s way behind the other associates when it comes to practical knowledge. Harvey is learning how to have an associate and Donna is constantly laughing at him.

Life is a little messy and stressful but Harvey can’t help but be thankful he found Mike.

He tries not even to admit this to himself.

\---

The first few times it happens, no one notices. Not Harvey, not Mike, not even Donna.

It starts with little things. Like the way Harvey takes Mike by his elbow before leading him into the hallway to yell at him. As if the kid deserves a little affection before he gets himself ripped a new one. The way Harvey knows how Mike takes his coffee, too much milk not enough sugar, without asking. How Harvey automatically hands Mike the only blue pen on his desk when Mike is searching through his pockets for one because he knows Mike prefers blue ink.

Then it starts getting a little more serious. Harvey tries his best not to notice, but even he can’t help but feel confused when he finds himself knowing things about Mike that he shouldn’t. 

Like when he asks Donna to buy lunch for Mike as well, because if not reminded he knows Mike will forget to eat. Or when Harvey hesitates to call Mike into the office on a Sunday afternoon because he knows that Mike spends his Sundays with his grandmother.

He knows things about Mike, silly impractical things that are somehow surprisingly personal. What kind of pizza Mike likes, how long it takes him to get ready in the morning, and what he likes to read in his spare time.

Harvey also finds that he knows even more serious things about Mike. Things that only someone with an intimate relationship with Mike should know. Like what happened to his parents, and how much he worries about his grandmother.

He’s fairly sure that all these things he knows about Mike must have a connection to the feeling he had in the hospital. When he woke up and just knew Mike. 

How could he feel like he knows someone, actually know so much about them, and yet there’s not history between them? No one who knew that Harvey knew Mike. No history of when they met or how long they’ve known each other. 

How can he just know things about Mike like this? It certainly isn’t normal and it’s starting to make life a little awkward.

Not for the first time in the last few months does Harvey wonder what the hell happened to him while he was in a coma.

\---

When Harvey has a dinner scheduled with one of his long term clients, he brings Mike. It’s clearly one of those dinners where the client brings his wife and Harvey brings a date of his own, but instead he brings Mike.

He tries not to think about this impulse as he’s knotting his favorite tie. He has Ray pick Mike up at his apartment and Harvey practically has to bite his tongue when he sees the building.

People really live in places like this?

But then they’re off headed to dinner when Mike turns to him, “Why are we going to dinner?”

“Didn’t I tell you already? We have dinner with a client.” Harvey straightens his jacket and he is nothing if not composed.

To his credit, Mike knows when to stay silent so he just sits there with his hands in his lap until they arrive.

At dinner, Harvey realizes how serious things have become. Harvey introduces Mike as his associate and Mr. Hamlin and his wife seem kind. 

When Harvey orders Mike’s favorites for him though, everyone seems surprised. Even Harvey.

He recovers quickly and engages the Mrs. Hamlin in conversation, but notices Mike’s raised eyebrows and the look from Mr. Hamlin.

The rest of dinner goes well and Harvey manages not share anymore things about Mike that aren’t common knowledge. Things go a little haywire after dinner though.

Harvey had let Ray have the evening off after he dropped them at dinner because let no one ever say that Harvey Specter doesn’t appreciate his employees.

Mike and Harvey share a cab and Harvey is giving the driver Mike’s address before he has a chance to think. This causes Harvey to startle even more then Mike. And then he can’t help but upset the driver by immediately changing his mind and sending him to Harvey’s apartment.

Mike looks at him, confused and if Harvey wasn’t so frustrated, he might actually consider it cute.

“We’re going to go to my place, and then you’re going to tell me just what the hell is going on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m not really happy with this chapter and I won’t be insulted if no one else is either. I may end up rewriting this chapter at some point because I’m just not feeling it. It’s too forced. I’m thinking they’ll be maybe another two parts after this one and then we’re done! I’m heading back to university tomorrow so I’m hoping I can finish this before classes start Monday and life gets hectic again.


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike isn’t quite sure what’s going on.

Mike isn’t quite sure what’s going on. One second Harvey’s ordering around the cab driver and the next second, the cab is doing a U-turn and Harvey seems frustrated.

 

Mike wishes he knew what the hell was going on. He hasn’t done anything stupid lately. Well not stupid enough to make Harvey turn the cab around.

 

Dinner had been fine, they had recently finished a case, and Mike had dropped all his most recent paperwork at Harvey’s desk _way_ before Harvey had asked for it.

 

So what’s the problem?

 

Harvey’s face is blank but his jaw looks a little strained and that tells Mike everything that Harvey’s expression doesn’t.

 

Not only is Harvey _pissed_ , he’s also confused. Confusion is _not_ a usual state for Harvey Specter.

 

 _Oh shit_.

 

\---

 

Harvey’s apartment is a little less immaculate than usual and this surprises Mike. He turns to joke about it to Harvey but the comment dies as soon as he sees his boss’s face.

 

Harvey looks even worse than in the cab and Mike wishes he had some idea what he did wrong.

 

“Sit down.” Harvey’s expression is sharp and Mike responds to the command immediately.  It’s actually a little embarrassing how quickly he drops down on the nearest couch.

 

“Explain.” Mike’s mouth opens automatically but no sound comes out. He feels like a gaping fish and what is he supposed to be talking about anyway?

 

“Explain what?”

 

“Explain why I know your favorite foods and your address and why I knew you in the hospital.”

 

 _Oh_. Things are very rapidly coming together in Mike’s mind and he’s not quite sure how to explain. It all comes spilling out rather quickly and from the look on Harvey’s face, Mike’s speech barely resembles English.

 

“I’majanitorinthehospitalandIsawyouonedayandyouknowhowtheysaythatwhenyoutalktopeopleinacomatheycanhearyouwellItalktoyoualotactuallyand…”Mike trails off when he remembers to stop talking and breathe.

 

“What the hell did you just say?” This Harvey is different from the one in the hospital and the one from the office. Even in the hospital, Harvey was rarely lack self-control.

 

Seeing him so blatantly confused and vulnerable makes Mike even more nervous but Mike knows that Harvey isn’t going to drop this. He isn’t going to be able to avoid this forever. Or even for five more minutes.

 

Mike takes a deep breath before starting to explain, “I started working at the hospital a little while after you were admitted…”

 

The conversation lasts much longer than Mike could have ever expected and when it ends, Harvey still looks confused.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me when I first woke up?”

 

“What was I going to say. ‘Hi, I’m Mike. I spent every afternoon talking to you while you were in a coma but you don’t actually know me.’ That’s creepy.”

 

Harvey shakes his head and there’s a slightly uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. They’re sitting on the couch, angled towards each other so they can talk and Mike can’t stop fidgeting.

 

Mike’s drumming his fingers on his leg and trying to ignore how close Harvey is. Harvey’s silence makes him too nervous to be affected by the other man’s proximity. But he is anyway. Harvey is dead silence and it’s _so_ awkward and it’s all Mike can do not to stare at Harvey’s mouth.

 

When Harvey finally turns back to Mike, his jaw is set and he’s expressionless and this is not good.

 

Mike imagines that Harvey is going to yell at him or fire him. Instead Harvey says, “You need to go talk to the ex-wife in the Hellneir case.”

 

Mike actually stutters. “Umm…what?”

 

Harvey looks at him and motions towards the door. “Get going. And if you manage to finish that, there’s a stack of paperwork waiting to be done.”

 

“Harvey it’s like midnight. Can’t I do it tomorrow?”

 

“I don’t really care when you do it. Just get it done.”

 

And then Harvey’s off the couch and disappearing down the hall. So that’s how it’s going to be.

 

\---

 

The next three weeks are terrible. They’re awkward and disgustingly busy and Mike only speaks to Harvey in person four times.

 

Other than those few times, work is left for him in his cubicle and any questions are either fielding through Donna or emails between him and Harvey.

 

Harvey is mostly certainly avoiding him and Mike feels like such an idiot. Why didn’t he just tell him in the hospital?

 

Loads and loads of paperwork always appear on Mike’s cubicle when he isn’t there and the only times Donna lets him actually leave the paperwork in Harvey’s office is when he isn’t there. Donna gives him critical looks every time they see each other, but at least she’s talking to him.

 

Mike keeps busy with work and goes to lunch with Rachel every now and then and tries to pretend that he isn’t totally upset over the way Harvey has practically forgot his existence.

 

\---

 

It’s eventually Louis of all people, who brings the awkwardness to attention.

 

Louis orders Mike up from his cubicle and drags him to Harvey’s office, all the while Mike insisting that he really does have work to do and he doesn’t have time for whatever nonsense Louis wants right now.

 

“It’s come to my attention that you’ve been neglecting your associate.”

 

Harvey looks up sharply from his desk and Mike is not sure the two men should be having a pissing contest right now considering that Harvey actually _has_ been neglecting him.

 

“If you feel that you aren’t adequately prepared to mentor Ross, I’d be more than willing to take him off your hands.”

 

Louis looks positively mischievous and Mike can almost see the evil wheels turning in his head.

 

Harvey seems unfazed and this makes Mike even more nervous. What if Harvey really doesn’t want him anymore?

 

“I think we should leave that decision up to him. Mike?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Would you like to be…” Harvey seems to be searching for the right word, “mentored by Louis, or would you like to continue to work for me?”

 

“I’d like to stay where I am, please.” It’s probably the most formal Mike has ever been with Harvey and it’s in fear that Harvey will toss him out anyway, just to see him suffer under Louis’ rule.

 

But then Harvey looks at Louis and he’s ridiculously smug.

 

“Now that we’ve taken care of that, can you leave Louis? I don’t want you to get upset when your wife calls me soon.” It isn’t the best joke Harvey has ever made about Louis’ non-existent wife, but it’s enough to get Louis out of Harvey’s office with a scowl.

 

Harvey looks back down at the papers on his desk, and it’s like Mike doesn’t even exist. But then Harvey makes a quiet comment that gives Mike a little hope.

 

“When you finish those briefs, we’re going for lunch.”


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The briefs should take Mike an hour and a half, but he manages to finish them up in forty five minutes.

The briefs should take Mike an hour and a half, but he manages to finish them up in forty five minutes. It’s possibly the longest fourty five minutes of his life. Time cannot seem to go quick enough and Mike _needs_ to know what’s going to happen at lunch.

 

Mike isn’t sure whether to expect a personal lunch or a working lunch, so he pauses a little awkwardly at the door to Harvey’s office, briefs in hand.

 

Harvey doesn’t look up from his computer, but beckons Mike inside with a hand. Mike sits on the couch, nervously perched on the edge with no idea what to expect. It’s several minutes before Harvey acknowledges Mike’s presence and when he finally does, Mike twitches under his gaze.

 

“Briefs finished?” Harvey looks a little skeptical of the speed at which Mike seems to have completed them so Mike eagerly turns them over.

 

\---

 

The car ride to lunch is silent and it’s definitely a loaded silence. Mike can’t remember ever being so anxious in his life and it doesn’t help that Harvey looks as cool and composed as ever. Harvey spends what felt like years ignoring his existence and now they’re going out to lunch? _What the hell?_

 

They end up at some posh restaurant that Mike can’t even pronounce the name of, but the food is good and Mike somehow doesn’t actually feel terribly out of place. It’s nice but Mike is fairly sure that he’s never had a more awkward meal in his life. Harvey seems to be intently studying something over Mike’s left shoulder and Mike doesn’t know if he should speak or stay silent like a child who doesn’t speak until spoken to.

 

Harvey speaks before Mike is forced to decide, “You spoke to me every day even though I was in a coma.” It’s not a question. “Why?”

 

“Well…I just…” Mike’s fumbling over his words and he tries to think up a good excuse for something that has no excuse.

 

“Stop.” Harvey sounds sharp but when Mike looks up from his napkin to meet Harvey’s eyes, the other man looks tired. “Stop feeding me bullshit. I know you, I know every dirty secret you have. Except the one that has to do with me. Except this one.”

 

Harvey face is unreadable again but Mike can find tiredness in his eyes and suddenly he can’t believe he’d ever try to lie about this.

 

“Honestly, I don’t know what made me start. I guess I heard somewhere that when you talk to someone in a coma, they can hear you. I spent time with all the other patients on the floor and…I don’t know, you were just the attractive guy in room 2453 and you never had any visitors and…I just started talking to you one day and then I never stopped.”

 

“You told me everything.” Mike feels a little panic hearing that and his stomach is flying.

 

“Everything? You remember all of it?”

 

“Jesus kid, you told me your entire life. Anything and everything. You told me about Jenny and Trevor, and your jobs.” Harvey looks a little pained now and his last words come out quietly. “You even told me about your parents.”

 

Mike knows he told Harvey about what happened to his parents. It’s something he tells very few people but he’d told Harvey. He’s not sure what that says about him.

 

“I never thought we’d meet. I never thought I’d _know_ you.”

 

“You spent months telling me everything about yourself and then I woke up and you lied. You _lied_ Michael and I don’t even understand why.”

 

“How was I just supposed to explain that you thought you knew me because I talked to you while you were in a coma? You weren’t anything like I expected and—God what did you want me to say? I just panicked.”

 

Harvey doesn’t look impressed at all, Mike doesn’t blame him. It’s a shitty excuse, but it’s the truth.

 

“So you lied?”

 

Mike’s getting upset now. Sure he lied and he fucked everything up, but what else is he supposed to say. Harvey’s made it very clear that it’s too late.

 

“What the fuck Harvey? I’m sorry. I lied and I fucked it all up but you’re just so _you._ You sit there like a fucking god and I’m supposed to explain how I had quality bonding time with your unconscious body?!”

 

And then Harvey is up out of his seat with a hand on Mike’s bicep, pulling him up.

 

“We’re going.” Harvey’s frustrated and as usual, Mike has no idea what’s happening.

 

It isn’t until they get in the town car headed to nowhere that Harvey attacks.

 

He actually attacks Mike.

 

There’s limbs and teeth and bodies everywhere and it takes Mike a few minutes to realize they’re kissing. Then it takes another minute not to explode at that realization. _Holy fuck, they’re kissing._

 

Harvey has him pinned on the leather bench seat with a leg between Mike’s thighs and his tongue in Mike’s mouth. Mike can’t help but rub up against Harvey’s leg and he groans. _Goodgoodgood_.

 

Then Mike’s brain remembers how to function. He tugs on Harvey’s hair and pulls them apart.

 

“What the _fuck_?”

 

Harvey smirks down at him and laughs. He actually fucking _laughs_.

 

“What is going on? Weren’t you furious about the hospital like three and a half minutes ago?’

 

“You’re an idiot, Mike.”

 

Mike wants to kiss him. So badly. So he does. It’s slow and wet and insanely hot. But Mike still remembers to pull away at the end.

 

“Seriously Harvey, what’s going on?”

 

“Well I think we were on the way to me fucking you as soon as we get in the elevator, but if you aren’t a fan of that plan…I’m open to suggestions.”

 

Harvey is so damn smug and Mike has a little trouble swallowing.

 

“No—umm no I think that sounds good.” Harvey laughs again and Mike thinks they’ve slipped into some alternate universe where he has sex with his boss who actually laughs.

 

\---

 

Harvey doesn’t actually get to fuck Mike in the elevator but he does stand behind him, biting into Mike’s neck and pumping the Mike’s dick until he’s come all over the glass wall.

 

When Mike wakes up in the middle of the night butt-naked and wondering where the hell he is, Harvey tells him to shut the fuck up and go back to sleep. Mike hasn’t been happier in a long time and that thought alone makes me feel like a mushy idiot. He smiles to himself.

 

The next time Mike wakes, it’s daylight and Harvey missing. So are Mike’s clothes. So he wanders to the kitchen where he finds Harvey shirtless and making omelets. Harvey’s hair is a disaster and he’s never looked better.

 

Mike isn’t sure what to expect , but Harvey kisses him and orders him to go make coffee. Mike doesn’t mind at all.

 

Mike doesn’t bring it up until after breakfast when they’re still sitting around lazily with coffee.

 

“So the thing about the hospital…?”

 

“I don’t care if you have a kink about talking to unconscious people. Just don’t fucking lie.” It’s a growl and Mike desperately wants to push Harvey up against the counter.

 

Harvey beats him to it so that when Mike mumbles “I think I can manage that” most of the words get lost between their mouths.

 

 

“I don’t actually have a kink about that though…I don’t! I swear!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me start this off by saying this: I AM SO SORRY THAT I AM SUCH A SLACKER. Okay, now that we’ve covered that. Here it is. All finished! I hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have. I’m really proud of myself for this and it’s the longest thing I’ve ever written. To most writers, my word count is nothing at all, but for me it’s still a major accomplishment and I’m so glad I finished this. :D

**Author's Note:**

> St.Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center is in fact a real hospital in Manhattan. Whether or not it actually houses long-term patients, I don’t know. Any descriptions I make of it are simply creations in my mind. I own nothing related to it or this lovely show. Also, any information about comas included here comes from Wikipedia and what little knowledge I have as an EMT.


End file.
